Sunday, August 24, 2014

The Christian’s Solitary Focus


Watch for the movement of the Spirit

Living and active everywhere

Watch and be expectant

Prepare and be aware!

Watch as the Spirit moves

Be ready to follow His flow

Be diligent every step

And in Him, His peace you’ll know.

God never ceases working in all creation. By the Holy Spirit, God is active, everywhere; in us, through us, all around us. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we watch, we wait, we prepare, and we become constantly aware. “What is God’s Spirit saying in this?” It’s the only important thing.

The Journey of Preparation

What sounds like a dichotomy of means is this: there is a journey in the mode of preparation. The word “preparation” elicits a meaning of getting things ready; of making no actual progress. But in God’s economy of things there is a continual journey in the actual mode of preparation.

But all journeys have a destination, don’t they?

Yes. The destination in question along the journey of preparation is one of active mindfulness and of being quite absolutely present. See how it’s a continual journey? We can only ever arrive there in the moment, yet the moment which has not yet arrived is full of possibility for both focus and a lack of focus – and all measures regarding ‘focus’ in between.

***

Continual and active mindfulness requires something of us that we cannot bring; the Presence of the living God – active in all eternity – is visiting our very moment, if we are attentively expectant.

This is no easy thing on the one hand, yet there is no easier thing on the other hand.

God requires our obedient surrender. Then his Spirit will flow; then his peace we will know.

The only important matter, ever, is “What is God’s Spirit saying in this?” If we have trained our gaze on him, and him alone, we detach from our ego, our hurt, our fear, and even from our failures.

God is with us. He is for you. But God can only be for us if we cooperate with his Presence. God will not assist us if we insist on our own way; to hold onto things we ought to let go of.

***

God will show us the right way if we continually focus on him alone. God’s Spirit speaks eternally. When we hear and obey, trusting the Faithful One, blessing is surely there, in the midst of that moment!

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.

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